The Bombay High Court urged citizens to adopt better civic sense and follow traffic rules, citing developed nations. While enhancing compensation in a fatal accident case, the court stressed responsible road behavior to prevent accidents and ensure public safety.
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has urged Indian citizens to develop civic sense and adhere to traffic rules, saying they should take cues from developed countries on how to drive and cross streets.
A single bench led by Justice Jitendra Jain made this observation in an order issued on Wednesday, where it increased the compensation awarded to the family of a man who was struck and killed by a bus while crossing a road.
The court said,
“In my view, it is high time that the people of this country inculcate within themselves the civic sense which we all have to follow without anyone compelling us to follow,”
The bench noted that Indians tend to comply with traffic laws when abroad, and questioned why the same standards should not be followed at home.
It added,
“I do not see any reason why we should not follow the rules and regulations of our country while we return and are staying in India. There cannot be any justification for not following the same,”
The court pointed out that elders and parents often flout rules while driving or crossing roads, setting a harmful example for children.
The HC observed,
“Therefore, it is the moral duty and obligation of the elders and the parents to follow rules and regulations while driving and crossing so that the children learn these basic civic sense from their parents of following rules and regulations rather than learning how to violate the rules and regulations. It is rightly said that children adopt quickly what they observe,”
The court urged pedestrians to be careful and obey traffic signals, noting that many people cross roads despite signals, which can lead to fatal accidents or injuries.
It said,
“It is high time that we as a responsible citizen, follow the rules and regulations while crossing the road and by following signals,”
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The bench also observed that many vehicles, particularly two-wheelers, frequently run signals and break rules. It commended the traffic police for their work but said they should take tougher action against two-wheeler riders who flout signals, Justice Jain noted.
The order arose from a petition by the deceased man’s family seeking an increase in compensation from an April 2016 Motor Accident Claims Tribunal decision, which had awarded Rs 13 lakh.
The victim, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease and was partially paralyzed, was hit by a Thane Municipal Transport bus in November 2012 while crossing the road and died in March 2013. The court stated that because the deceased had partial paralysis, he should have been accompanied or sought assistance from bystanders when crossing a busy street.
Attributing some negligence to the deceased,the HC said,
“A pedestrian should try to cross the road only at the signal by following signal rules,”
At the same time, the bench criticized the bus driver for failing to slow down upon seeing a person limping across the road. The high court increased the compensation to Rs 15 lakh.
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